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WOW...imagine how unwatchable this team would be without all of those guys? They would have to hit on each and every player that they would get in return. AND...while waiting for all of the players coming in return, attendance would revert to the 80's numbers!

Cards have 'real' interest in Tribe's Cabrera
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals have "real" interest in Asdrubal Cabrera.
It's not a sure thing that the Indians will shop Cabrera this winter, but if they do the St. Louis front office will apparently be ready to pounce. Cabrera, 26, batted .270/.338/.423 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI in 616 plate appearances this past season for Cleveland. The Cardinals have Rafael Furcal under contract for 2013, but the 35-year-old's durability is a major question mark.

Throw in another starter and I would not mind that trade at all. Power hitting first baseman with #3 to #4 starter. Still think they can get more though than Joe Kelly as their main priority if they do trade Drubs should be to get at least a #2 starter which Kelly I don't think transitions to in the AL. Also I think they can get more for Drubs due to the remaining years Drubs is locked up for and his remaining salary which is rather cheap for his position and production these days. Would rather try prying Rosenthal or Miller straight up but I never see that happening unless they value Carlos Martinez that much.

Throw in another starter and I would not mind that trade at all. Power hitting first baseman with #3 to #4 starter. Still think they can get more though than Joe Kelly as their main priority if they do trade Drubs should be to get at least a #2 starter which Kelly I don't think transitions to in the AL. Also I think they can get more for Drubs due to the remaining years Drubs is locked up for and his remaining salary which is rather cheap for his position and production these days. Would rather try prying Rosenthal or Miller straight up but I never see that happening unless they value Carlos Martinez that much.

Yeah I just don't think that Matt Adams is going to push a Joe Kelly or Lance Lynn type of deal over the edge for Drubs. Right now Adams value is down I believe in the STL organization and not for the fact that the guy can't play but for the fact that they have nowhere to play him. Craig is situated at first for the next couple years with Tavares coming up to replace Beltran after 2013 unless they rid themselves of Holliday in the next year and just put Craig in left with Adams at first. Also where is Carpenter going to get innings/ab's from as I have heard the local media here in St. Louis say they might try him at 2B next year just to get his bat in the lineup but then when does Wong go in 2014 if they want to stick with them. God I wish the Tribe had Cardinal problems. LOL.

Like I said though, I think if Drubs does get traded it has to be for at the very least a #2 pitcher and a positional player just due to the lack of SS's in the league these days and also the control Drubs contract has him under for the next couple years. I would like to see a Pence Giants and Phillies deal where the Tribe can snag 2 out of any teams 3 top 15 prospects with an additional high ceiling player.

Indian Wells, Calif. -- Joe Urbon, Grady Sizemore's agent, says the former Gold Glove center fielder is working his way back to the diamond after missing all of last season.

"He's working his way back," said Urbon, just after arriving at the general managers meetings on Wednesday. "His aim is to play next season (2013)."

The Indians signed Sizemore to a one-year $5 million deal before the 2012 season, but he never played a game. He needed surgery on a herniated disc in his back just before the start of spring training, but that wasn't his main problem.

Sizemore, 30, could hit and throw, but his surgically repaired knees ached so much he couldn't run. The Indians eventually halted his comeback attempts.

Urbon said teams have expressed interest in Sizemore. Tribe GM Chris Antonetti said he'd be open to re-signing Sizemore, but at a much smaller price tag.

@hoynsie: GM Chris Antonetti on report that St. Louis is interested in SS Asdrubal Cabrera: "It's news to me." #Indians.

LOL, everything is news to Ants. He has probably 3 of the best trade chips this offseason in Drubs, CP and Choo but continues to say that they are not interested in trading them but will listen. Just stop with the GM talk Ant. If he doesn't at least move CP this offseason I will be very disappointed. I have no problem with him waiting till the trade deadline with Choo because that might build his value to contender trying to make the final move to get over the hump but then knowing the Tribes luck Choo will probably get injured and just leave in FA next offseason with the Tribe getting nothing for him. I really would like to see Drubs moved too though just because I think he could net a nice return right now and don't want to read for the fourth straight year how he showed up to Spring Training out of shape.

On June 22, the Indians led the AL Central by 1½ games with a 37-32 record. They played about .500 ball through the All-Star break, winning their first game after the break to stand 45-41. They were three games out at that point and were still in it.

Then the team collapsed.

On July 14, Ubaldo Jimenez gave up eight runs and four walks in less than three innings to the Blue Jays. The next day, the Indians were shut out. Derek Lowe had a 3.06 ERA through June 1 but an 8.77 ERA over his next 10 starts, nine of those Indians losses. And so on.

From July 14 through the end of the season, the Indians went 23-53, manager Manny Acta lost his job, and the team now has to consider what to do. Do you build around Carlos Santana, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley and try to patch holes, or do you clean house and start over?

Primary needs

Starting rotation (the Indians ranked 13th in the AL in ERA), first base, left field, designated hitter.

All of the above. Two trade targets for opposing teams are Shin-Soo Choo, who has one year left before free agency, and Cabrera. The Indians acquired Mike Aviles from the Red Sox, and their top prospect is highly touted shortstop Francisco Lindor. If the Indians trade Cabrera, Aviles could hold down shortstop until Lindor is ready in a couple years. Closer Chris Perez is as good as gone after his public criticism of the organization. Perez is a proven closer, so he may actually bring back a decent prospect in return, even though his 3.45 ERA over the past two seasons isn't that impressive.

Potential targets

Santana

If the Indians look to wheel and deal, they'll be seeking young pitching. They also have to decide if Santana is a catcher, a first baseman or trade bait. His arm strength behind the plate is adequate, but his movement on balls in the dirt left something to be desired. Lou Marson is a solid defensive catcher, and Yan Gomes, acquired with Aviles from the Blue Jays, can catch. Otherwise, the first-base market is thin with guys like James Loney and Carlos Pena.

Outlook

Attendance has plummeted in Cleveland in recent years -- they ranked 29th in the majors in 2012 -- ownership is unwilling to spend in the free-agent market, and the farm system is considered one of the weakest in the majors. In other words, it looks like a lose-lose-lose trifecta in Cleveland.

New manager Terry Francona lends an air of credibility to the franchise and there is a base of talent with Cabrera, Kipnis, Santana, Choo and Brantley, but this is a team that allowed the most runs in the league and scored the second fewest. Francona may wish he would have waited for a better job, especially if the Indians embark on an Astros-like teardown.

FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Red Sox are showing trade interest in Shin-Soo Choo and Justin Masterson.
The Indians may be thinking about a firesale this offseason given that Asdrubal Cabrera and Chris Perez are also drawing heavy interest. Choo, 30, batted .284/.373/.441 with 16 home runs and 67 RBI in 155 games this past season for Cleveland and would add a nice dose of production to Boston's starting lineup. Masterson, 27, broke in with the Red Sox in 2008.